Fallout 3 is an action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It was released on October 28, 2008 for Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The game was directed by Todd Howard and was the first mainline Fallout game developed by Bethesda following their acquisition of the franchise rights from Interplay. It holds a Metacritic score of 91 and remains one of the most acclaimed open world RPGs ever made.
Fallout 3 Story
Fallout 3 is set in the year 2277 in the Washington DC metropolitan area, referred to in-game as the Capital Wasteland. The player takes the role of the Lone Wanderer, a resident of Vault 101 who emerges from their underground shelter for the first time in search of their missing father. The open world is densely populated with ruined landmarks, factions, and survivors navigating the aftermath of nuclear war. The main story involves the Enclave, a remnant of the pre-war American government, and Project Purity, a plan to clean the Wasteland’s water supply.
Fallout 3 DLC
Fallout 3 received five downloadable content packs. Operation: Anchorage placed the Lone Wanderer in a virtual reality military simulation set during the Sino-American War of 2077. The Pitt took place in a post-war version of Pittsburgh. Broken Steel extended the main story beyond its original ending and raised the level cap. Point Lookout sent the player to a massive swampland along the Maryland coast. Mothership Zeta concluded the DLC run with an alien abduction storyline. All five packs were collected in the Game of the Year Edition released in 2009.
Fallout 3 Remaster
A remaster of Fallout 3 has been rumored for years. Leaked Bethesda documents from Microsoft’s 2023 acquisition of Activision Blizzard referenced a planned remaster, and a McFarlane Toys product listing in early 2026 for a Fallout 3 Remastered figurine added further fuel to the speculation. As of June 2026 neither Bethesda nor Xbox has officially confirmed the project. I rented Fallout 3 from Blockbuster years ago, I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t get into it that much. A remaster of the game could just be what I need to actually get into it.
Fallout 3 Achievements
Fallout 3 Achievements
Base Game
- Vault 101 Citizenship Award: Got the Pip-Boy 3000
- The G.O.A.T. Whisperer: Took the G.O.A.T.
- Escape!: Completed "Escape!"
- Following in His Footsteps: Completed "Following in His Footsteps"
- Galaxy News Radio: Completed "Galaxy News Radio"
- Scientific Pursuits: Completed "Scientific Pursuits"
- Tranquility Lane: Completed "Tranquility Lane"
- The Waters of Life: Completed "The Waters of Life"
- Picking up the Trail: Completed "Picking up the Trail"
- Rescue from Paradise: Completed "Rescue from Paradise"
- Finding the Garden of Eden: Completed "Finding the Garden of Eden"
- The American Dream: Completed "The American Dream"
- Take it Back!: Completed "Take it Back!"
- Big Trouble in Big Town: Completed "Big Trouble in Big Town"
- The Superhuman Gambit: Completed "The Superhuman Gambit"
- The Wasteland Survival Guide: Completed "The Wasteland Survival Guide"
- Those!: Completed "Those!"
- The Nuka-Cola Challenge: Completed "The Nuka-Cola Challenge"
- Head of State: Completed "Head of State"
- The Replicated Man: Completed "The Replicated Man"
- Blood Ties: Completed "Blood Ties"
- Oasis: Completed "Oasis"
- The Power of the Atom: Completed "The Power of the Atom"
- Tenpenny Tower: Completed "Tenpenny Tower"
- Strictly Business: Completed "Strictly Business"
- You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head: Completed "You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head"
- Stealing Independence: Completed "Stealing Independence"
- Trouble on the Homefront: Completed "Trouble on the Homefront"
- Agatha's Song: Completed "Agatha's Song"
- Reilly's Rangers: Completed "Reilly's Rangers"
- Reaver: Reached Level 8 with Bad Karma
- Mercenary: Reached Level 8 with Neutral Karma
- Protector: Reached Level 8 with Good Karma
- Harbinger of War: Reached Level 14 with Bad Karma
- Pinnacle of Survival: Reached Level 14 with Neutral Karma
- Ambassador of Peace: Reached Level 14 with Good Karma
- Scourge of Humanity: Reached Level 20 with Bad Karma
- Paradigm of Humanity: Reached Level 20 with Neutral Karma
- Last, Best Hope of Humanity: Reached Level 20 with Good Karma
- Weaponsmith: Made one of every custom weapon
- Doesn't Play Well with Others: Killed 300 people
- Slayer of Beasts: Killed 300 creatures
- Silver-Tongued Devil: Won 50 Speech Challenges
- Data Miner: Hacked 50 terminals
- Keys are for Cowards: Picked 50 locks
- One-Man Scouting Party: Discovered 100 locations
- Psychotic Prankster: Placed a grenade or mine while pickpocketing
- The Bigger They Are…: Kill all the Super Mutant Behemoths
- Yes, I Play with Dolls: Collected 10 Vault-Tec Bobbleheads
- Vault-Tec C.E.O.: Collected 20 Vault-Tec Bobbleheads
Operation: Anchorage
- Aiding the Outcasts: Completed "Aiding the Outcasts"
- The Guns of Anchorage: Completed "The Guns of Anchorage"
- Paving the Way: Completed "Paving the Way"
- Operation: Anchorage: Completed "Operation: Anchorage"
The Pitt
- Into The Pitt: Completed "Into The Pitt"
- Unsafe Working Conditions: Completed "Unsafe Working Conditions"
- Free Labor: Completed "Free Labor"
- Mill Worker: Found All 100 Steel Ingots
Broken Steel
- Death From Above: Completed "Death From Above"
- Shock Value: Completed "Shock Value"
- Who Dares Wins: Completed "Who Dares Wins"
- Devil: Reached Level 30 with Bad Karma
- True Mortal: Reached Level 30 with Neutral Karma
- Messiah: Reached Level 30 with Good Karma
Point Lookout
- The Local Flavor: Completed "The Local Flavor"
- Walking With Spirits: Completed "Walking With Spirits"
- A Meeting of the Minds: Completed "A Meeting of the Minds"
- Bog Walker: Discovered all locations within Point Lookout
Mothership Zeta
- Not of This World: Completed "Not of This World"
- Among the Stars: Completed "Among the Stars"
- This Galaxy Ain't Big Enough…: Completed "This Galaxy Ain't Big Enough…"
- Alien Archivist: Collected all Alien Captive Recordings
